Hyperemesis Support

[LucindaE]

I hope everyone suffering from the Horrors of Hyperemesis will find this thread useful as a source of support and information.
There's no TMI on here - can't be by definition - and nobody should feel ashamed of moaning as much as they feel the need to.

MOH's wonderful website is full of useful information on this illness:
sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/
Another invaluable website is:
www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

If you need help in obtaining medication, this phone number is
brilliant:
024 7638 2020

Lastly, the NICE guidelines on treatment are useful:
links.nice.org.uk/nauseavomiting-in-pregnancy#!scenario

I would like to thank everyone who has given such invaluable support and advice on this and on previous threads.

Remember when you are at your worst, 'This Too Shall Pass'. It really will.
So many women on this thread have thought they couldn't get through this, but they did.

I spoke to the doctor today about the vitamins as I just can't swallow them, even cut in half. I was on the Pregnacare Plus, but switched to Seven Seas Pregnancy Plus, either way, I can't take them at all now. The doctor said not to worry as I'm nearly 12 weeks, so the big risk re spinal cord problems has decreased a lot.
Try not to worry too much. As the doctor said, if you can't keep them down, you can't keep them down.

Just dashing on to welcome Lucy and Again on to the thread. As I'm having more internet connection problems, and it may go off at any moment, I am glad that you have great advice and a nice welcome. Lucy
that sounds so awful. Just want to agree with others, do ask for meds if needed. Back as soon as I can. Thinking of you all.

Oh no Lucinda, how frustrating for you! I hope it gets sorted soon.

Wow, the thread has moved quick today. Hi to newbies. Hope your stay is short lived and that the sickness eases soon. As others have said, a good med regime alongside the bland beige HG diet seems to be getting most of us through. Also, totally agree about the pregnancy vitamins - I gave up trying to take them at 6 weeks when my sickness was at its worst. Once I was on a combination of meds that worked (cyclizine & ondansatron) I started taking the folic acid & vitamin d tablets. Much smaller and easier to swallow causing me to vomit less just trying to take them.

special I'm going to be another weather moaner. It is great to be able to let DS run around outside but today has been a killer. On my feet lots at work, combined with the heat, combined with achey hips (totally feeling your pain today ickle) has resulted in me walking very slowly to pick DS up from nursery and very swollen feet and ankles. However on a good note, alongside my cereal/cheese sandwich diet I have had some chocolate today - and very much enjoyed it. Got heartburn now and still feel nauseous but that doesn't seem to chance whatever I eat/don't eat. So, I'm thinking it might be a good way to up my calorie intake to something even remotely near normal. Having said that bump is huge and I'm now only 3-4kg under what I was pre pregnancy. I've gone up 4-5kg since I was weighed at about 11 weeks. I fear this baby is going to be huge!

ickle if you have any remedies for the achey hips I'd be glad to hear them. Never had it in first pregnancy but at 22 weeks I do wonder if it's likely to get worse. DH inflated the exercise ball today to see if that helps.

Oh and whilst I'm moaning - I found my first ecru varicose vein too! My body hates pregnancy.

Not sure what an ecru varicose vein is... Just a varicose vein is bad enough!

Gosh things have moved fast...

In haste; the lady with the peaches craving; my baby was grown largely on tinned peaches!

Ondansetron is the good stuff for most sufferers. Unfortunately most gp's are reluctant to prescribe it. It's very expensive. But very good! Personally it was the only meds that worked for me.

Newbies; welcome. Sorry you need us, but stock around for understanding a d support.

Sore hips; if it's spd I can recommend a chiropractor. Mine kept me on my feet and eased the pain significantly. Expensive but worth it if you can.

lucy you've had a difficult year, I am sorry. I think if the drugs you're on aren't working, please do press for different ones. As I've said, ondansetron is really good. There are other options as well.

Wishing all a peaceful night

This thread has really moved on since I haven't been here for a week or so... Welcome lucy hope the meds will make things improve for you soon. I also recommend 5mg folic acid. The pills I had were tiny and easy to take.

For me work has been busy and the exertion caused a bad 4 or 5 days last week. The last few days I have had more energy though. Dare I say it, at 18 weeks there might be signs of improvement? Last time things started to improve at about 19 weeks and were much better by 24. Still on a diet of cheese sandwiches and chocolate milk but hoping for some more variety in a couple more weeks!

Rocket I'm now awake and unable to sleep because of the heat and really, really want chocolate milk and a cheese sandwich!

Sleepy sorry you're struggling with the heat too, but good news you like chocolate I'm quite partial to a snickers bar atm. Sorry about the varicose vein. I've not found any yet, but I seem to have ever other pregnancy symptom so it's only a matter of time!

Hope everyone else sleeps well.

special hope you managed to get to sleep- pregnancy and heat is not a great combination. I'm also craving cheese sandwiches at 4.30am totally blaming you rocket 😉 but have more chocolate milk coming this eve mmmm

sleepy the only thing that helped last pregnancy was exercising and doing strengthening stretches. Sleeping on lots of pillows (between legs and under bump) makes getting to sleep possible. I went to physio exercise class yesterday afternoon and was not in a good way yesterday eve or this morning so don't do too much like that....sorry mother hen! Doing various stretches: cat stretches (arch back), crabs (lie on side bend knees, open and close knees like crab pinches), on hands and knees lift one leg and alternate arm, kneel and bend forward walking hands forward and hold. Twice a day every day makes a big difference.

lucy hi and welcome! I really struggled with vitamins both pregnancies. When I could keep them down separate folic acid and vit d was all I could manage. I did give up quite early this pregnancy as taking tablets (even antisickness ones) left me being violently sick every time. This led to increased dehydration which just wasn't worth the benefit as vit didn't stay down anyway!

Welcome Anewleaf could you do interview over the phone? If you are signed off they can not expect you to go in and you are fine to state you are not well enough to until your phased return.

rae I fancied a bike ride at the weekend but dh laughed as he thought I would just topple over. He may be right but that's hardly the point!

special glad you are able to rest lots on sofa. I find swimming not too bad for nausea as long as don't try and push for super fast laps (normally just splashing about with a toddler!)

andagain hope you feel supported by gp is very hard to keep fighting in the midst of hg to just get told it can't be that bad by health care professionals. I've been so lucky both with my gp and work understanding but so often not the case.

rae enjoy the pt session. Once sickness was managable I was at the gym 3 or 4 times a week last pregnancy and built fitness back up. It's very empowering to do something for you whilst your body is having to do so much. I don't have the time this pregnancy but starting antenatal gym on mon and pilates on a tue so just need to do something other end of the week and will feel much better if I can keep it up!

lucy welcome sorry to hear you are suffering but sounds like your cat is sympathetic even if your mum isn't! Fingers crossed it improves soon. As for only child if you want another (probably can't face the thought of it at the moment) but many of us here are 2nd/3rd/more hg pregnancies. Can take time to face it but getting medication right from the start can help a lot.

Really sorry have probably missed loads of people out - thread is really busy! But must try for an extra hour of sleep!

Sleepy, commiserations on the varicose vein!

Rocket I've got everything crossed for your continued improvement. I tried chocolate milkshake over the weekend- it went down really well!

Special, sorry you're still suffering in the heat!

ickle sorry you're struggling this morning. Thank you for the gym support! I hope I can cope.

Right, TMI alert- still on ondansetron, still constipated (though it's better now I can have a bit of veg). I managed to 'go' this morning but bled quite heavily afterwards. I've had a little bit of blood before but this was quite bad. Is there anything I can do, or should I just accept it?

Sorry for lowering the tone

Rae, gosh, that's awful. Is it haemorrhoids bleeding perhaps?

All the ladies that welcomed me, thank you very much, really appreciate the support. Another day at home for me, boss (and mother) being very understanding. Spoke to my doctor first thing & he wants me to stick to the Stemetil for a few days, he thinks I may have a tummy bug on top of the HG as I now have diahorrea & it's not a side effect of any of the medicines I've been on - fingers crossed! Never thought I'd be hoping for a tummy bug, but I really hope it's that! I've been daydreaming about waking up feeling better in a few days, that'd be nice.

Also, I'm going to the Queen's birthday party if it kills me! They are also being very nice & have a wheelchair ready at BP in case I can't walk around, that's very understanding of them.

It's odd the things you can keep down - last week in Denmark I ate a few of their grilled hotdogs & fries (national dish) & not only did they stay down, but I gained a few lbs. lost 3 yesterday, so sadly it didn't last - maybe I need more Danish food! Interestingly, chocolate milk is what they have with that meal, maybe I should have given it a go - thought I'd be too risky.

Rae very likely, while not glamorous, to be piles from the constipation. Are you able to have a crack at some prune juice? Got shed loads of sugar in too.

Lucy I have also found that super high fat, questionable nutrition foods have gone down much, much better with me than anything healthy. Think this is normal for most pregnant women around 8 weeks, but when most of my ante natal bus started eating normally again, I was still on cheesy mash, crisps, chips etc.

My diet is horrendous at the moment. I usually only eat organic food from the local farm & now I'm all about the crisps, chips & Coca Cola. Oh dear! We have a freezer full of healthy food - really must cancel that order!

Rushing on - internet connection problems still -computer man Mario unable to sorta them out.
Rae Never worry about tmi on here. That sounds like piles, common in pregnancy. I think you can get suppositories for it, but worth mentioning to the doctor. With the locked bowels from Ondansetron, it's a no wonder but looks alarming. Oh dear, your aunt sounds alarmingly dismissive! But does she think the level of sickness with Hyperemesis normal?!
icklid Great advice, especially about the phone interview. Those stretches sound really good. Lol about apology to Mother Hen for overdoing it.
SpecialStains Sorry about sleeplessness. The last straw, really.
But congratulations on hunger.
Lucy I so agree with others, that ectopic pregnancy must have been traumatic and the danger, and now Hyperemesis. Hyperemesis alone traumatises a lot of people on these threads. I realise now, though it got a lot better early for me, I was traumatised myself, so if there is any possibility of counselling, then it's a good idea.
Rocket So glad you feel a bit better. icklkid's stretching advice sounds brilliant.
Waves to again SleepymrsE and everyone.

Thanks all- yes, I thought it probably was. I'm seeing the Dr anyway on Friday so will mention it. It was the amount of blood that was alarming really!

almond I haven't tried prune juice yet. Might be worth a go.

Lucinda I think my Aunt just thinks it can't possibly be that bad, and that some people make a bigger fuss of sickness in pregnancy than others. It is 10 years since my cousin had it though, so maybe her attitude has softened since. I'm trying to reserve judgement until I see her!

Hi everyone, sorry for my absence. I finally feel like I might be back on an even keel after last week's admission. Ketones under control, I couldn't keep food down at all for nearly a week but finally had a breakthrough on Sunday when I had some ready brek at DH suggestion. 33w now so the end is in sight. Hopeful this week will be ok.
I've tried to catch up with thread... Here goes!
butterfly welcome and so sorry to hear of your loss. I hope your balance issues have resolved? May well be meds or just general weakness?
ickle congrats on getting through half term, hope you get a bit of rest this week and that going back to school isn't too much. Look after yourself. Pleased to hear of your exercise plans.
rae well done on afternoon tea and glad you had a better day yest. Good luck with PT. Ah, the Ondansetron constipation. I recommend prune juice if you can manage it. Get lactulose from GP or over counter, it's sweet tasting so you may be able to stomach it. You may well have haemmoroids (if it makes you feel better mine are enormous now 😞) causing the bleeding. Practical tips - try not to strain too much. Raise your feet onto a low stool when sitting on toilet (so your knees are raised). Grab a wad of toilet paper and press on your perineum whilst you're trying to poo, to 'help' it out. Sorry it's a bit gross but this helps me. I've also found iced coffee has a bit of a laxative effect. If any consolation my constipation has improved slightly so maybe the body gets used to Ondansetron. I still don't go much but not generally getting awful cramps from it anymore.
anonsad and ealli good luck with TTC and hope the GPs are helpful with planning for possible HG again. My tip is to get childcare in place as you will need it. Very sadly it was spending lots of days in a row looking after DD that prompted last week's hosp admission.
almond so sorry you were in hosp and re probs with meds - hope it gets sorted soon? Sounds like they should be trying you on something else.
TBC....

mrsmonkey glad to hear that you're stabilising a bit, I've been thinking of you. Thanks for the constipation tips, will head out in a while to buy some things. I'll try anything to ease it. Oh, the glamour of pregnancy!

Rae I had the same thing with the blood. At risk of TMI, mine was not piles but just slight tearing of the skin around the anus (lovely). My gp prescribed lactulose which you can get over the counter, but didn't help much. It went when I stopped taking ondansetron.

Thanks Special. I'm just terrified of doing permanent damage!!

I've just been for a little bike ride, DH said he'd not be too anxious as long as I took my phone and didn't go out far from the village (where there's no phone signal). So probably did about 1.5 miles to the Post Office and back. I am really proud of myself but will be resting for the remainder of the day now! 😴

(Grrr lost the nice message I typed, will try again)
... Welcome to anewleaf flowerpower alicekeach andagain lucyhmk - sorry you've had to join us.
Lucy so sorry to hear of your ectopic loss, I hope your drugs work soon, get lots of rest. Ondansetron works well for many of us.
Sympathies to those struggling with the antenatal vitamins - do try to persevere with the smaller folic acid and vit d tablets, even if they're coming back up, good to keep trying. I've taken pregnacare throughout but know people often struggle with that, my tactic is to take it right before bed then try to sleep straight away (because, frankly, who has a 'main meal' when you have HG)
special and sleepy sorry to hear you are struggling in the heat, I think we are due thunderstorms here so hopefully you'll feel a bit better if it's due to cool down.
sleepy much sympathy re varicose vein. Is it def varicose? I've got lots of visible thread veins in my legs (attractive!!) but not raised so not varicose. I do find a bit of a tan makes them look less horrible.

Sympathies also to those with sore hips. Another with pelvic girdle pain here (mine is back rather than front of pelvis). Just got back from physio, I haven't managed to go since Feb!! Was helpful though, I'm seeing a specialist women's physio. Nearly vomited whilst trying some of the exercises though! There's been lots of advice already, things that help me are sitting on Swiss ball rather than sofa, not sitting for long period in one position. Pillows between your knees in bed. Clamp your knees together when rolling out of bed/getting out of car/going from sitting to standing etc.

Waves to rocket seaeagle barmee !
lucinda sorry to hear of Internet connection woes. I hope you have been able to enjoy the lovely weather! How is your mum doing?
Have I missed anyone?! Hope not but sorry if so.
rae well done on the bike ride!! Rest assured no permanent damage will be done to your bum 😊 Bum holes are good at repairing themselves, lol. Hopefully you find something to help ease the constipation soon.

Much love and anti sickness vibes to all. X

just to say thanks to those who added information. GPS appointment was good. he was really understanding. I have got some cyclizine so am going to take them later once my parents arrive in case I have side effects. bad morning but okay afternoon - it is very up and down. sympathy to those with sore hips. I have to lie on my left side to avoid heartburn/vomit so they will be getting sore later on. a soft mattress helps but that isn't easy to change!

Special I must confess there are a few I still avoid now (mashed potato still makes me heave at the thought!!) but I would say that this was my third pregnancy with HG and by far the worst (lasted all the way through) and after the other 2 I was fine with all foods again straight away so I really wouldn't take me as normal (my DH has been telling me I'm anything but for years!)

sorry there are still so many people on the thread that no one wants to need.

Lucinda I miss you all too and think of you often-will come on whenever I can. Struggling to know which way is up at the moment, lol! DC3 is "helping" me type this whilst being jiggled on my knee-trying to persuade her to wait for a bit longer for her next feed as its only been 2 hours but she had her jabs today and is grumpy!

Haha, thanks mrsmonkey! Sorry to hear you're also suffering with pelvic girdle pain. It must be unbearable, especially on top of HG.

And I'm glad you got the medication. I hope it works for you! Don't be afraid to go back if it doesn't though.

Barmee hope that your DD isn't too grumpy overnight!